Reel for drying thread or the like



Se t. 12, 1939. k L. J. JORDAN ET AL REEL FOR DRYING THREAD OR THE LIKE .Filed Oct. 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 'Jnpenfor LAVERN J. JORDAN AND C LARENCE. C.WALTERS l 12, 1939- L. J. JOIQQDAN ET AL 2,173,001

. REEL FOR DRYING THREAD on THE LIKE V Filed on. 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lhmentor LAVERN JJORDAN AND CLARENCE C. WALTERS r mmed Sept. 12, 1939 nn-u. roa name manan on was Laverml. Jordan, Fail-view Village.

LIKE

andclarencc .0. Walters, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Industriai Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Delaware October 4, 1937, Serial N0. 167,180

14 Claim This invention relates to a thread-storage,

thread-advancing device permitting changes in thread length to occur freely.

In the processing of some threads, particularly artificial silk threads, marked changes tend to occur in theirJengths. If the thread is to be of high standard, it ls usually necessary that little, if any, resistancebe offered to changes in length. In processes utilizing thread-storage, thread-advancing devices, dimculty is experienced, because of the virtual impossibility. of maintaining strictly uniform processing conditions, in providing a device of this character that ,will freely accommodate changes in the length s of thethread. As a material which presents this problem and which may be advantageously handled by the device of the present invention, viscose artificial silk thread may be mentioned by way of example.

In the course of the drying of viscose artificial silk thread, considerable shrinkage occurs the rate of which depends upon the rate of removal of moisture from the thread. In actual practice it has been found impossible to maintain absolutely uniform drying conditions, with the result that the thread being dried may shrink at varying rates. By providing a thread-storage, thread-advancing device embodying the principles of the present invention, these varying rates 30 of shrinkage will be accommodated and the thread allowed to shrink without substantial restraint.

while for purposes of illustration the invention is here disclosed as employed in the dryingv of viscose artificial silk thread, the invention may 35 be practiced not only in connection with the drying operation-but with any other treatment in which it is desired to employ it. The thread may be either of natural or artificial origin; if the latter, it may be manufactured from casein, from 40 cuprammonium cellulose solution, from cellulose acetate or the like. Moreover, the invention may be employed in connection with any thread-like material, such as filaments, tubes, tapes, bends and ribbons, all of which are intended to be 45 comprehended by the term thread as herein used.

' Several embodiments or the invention are disclosed to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a thread- 5o storage, thread-advancing reel embodying one form of the invention. Figure 2 is an elevation 01 the front end of the reel of Figure 1. Figure-3 is a diagrammatic representation of the variations in its contour necessary to enable a reel to conform to different shrinkage conditions in a threadt l igure 4 is a section on an enlarged scale on line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of'Flgurei. Figure 6 is a plan corresponding to Figure 4. Figure 'I is a section illusgm another arrangement contemplated by the invention. Figure 8 is a plan corresponding .to Figure '7. Figure 9 is a view of the lefthand end of the device of Figure '1. Figure 10 is a section on line Ill-Wot Figure '1. Figure 11 is a section illustrating va third, arrangement contem- 5 plated by the invention. Figure 12 is a section on line i2l2 of Figure 11. p

- Referring first toFigures 1 and 2, the threadstorage, thread-advancing reel there illustrated comprises two sets of interdi tating bar members l0 and II. The bar members iii are carried upon the periphery and extend longitudinally of a cylindrical body l2 which is concentrically fixed to a hollow shaft l5 rotatably mounted in a hearing' it. To establish driving engagement be- 15 tween shaft i3and body ii, a pin l5 carried byv the shaft is disposed within slots ii in body i2. To retain cylindrical body I2 upon shaft I3, a bolt II may be screw-threaded into the forward end of the shaft. Bolt ll, in addition to retaining cylindrical body l2 upon the shaft, serves as a closure member for the front end of the hollow shaft i3.

Bar members II are carried-by an annular base member i9 at the rear ends of the bar members and an annular reinforcing member at their forward ends. Annular member I! is fixed to a ring 2! having secured within its central opening a bushing 22. Bushing 22 is rotatable upon a sieve 13 which is carried upon the exterior-of the supporting bearing M through which shalt it passes. The contact which exists between the two sets of bar members due to their interdigitating relation causes the bar members II to be driven from bar members i0. The exterior of bearing I4 is eccentric with respect to the bore therethrough and due to this eccentricity the axis of rotation of the bar members ii is offset laterally from the axis of rotation of the bar members ill. The axes of the inner and outer surfaces of sleeve 23 are at an angle with respect to each other and consequently the axis of rotation of the bar members ll likewise is askew with respect to the axis of rotation of the bar members It. The bar members l0 and supporting body l2 make up and may be termed the 'concentric reel member. The bar members ii and supporting members it and 20 and afllxed ring 2| may be termed the eccentric reel member. Due to this relation existing between the concentric and eccentric reel members, thread carried upon their exteriorswill, upon rotation of the reel, be advanced longitudinally thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns. The reel may be said to be of cantilever form inasmuch as it is supported at one end only hearing it at corresponding ends ofboth reel members providing the sole support for the reel. The end of the reel opposite bearing ll, being independent of any support, is freely accessible so to an operator. The reel should be rotated in such a direction that the thread will be advanced thereover from the supported to the unsupported end, in which case the thread may easily be removed i'rom the unsupported end due to the absence of obstructions. Since the -bar members oi the two sets it and H lie in interdigitating relation and the axis of the one set lies within the periphery of the other set, the reel as a whole may be said to be unitary.

To dry the thread being advanced along the reel a heating medium such as hot air from any suitable source may be supplied through hollow shaft [3 to the interior of the reel. A chamber '24, formed centrally of the body l2, receives the heated air from shaft it through openings 25 in the shaft and distributes it through radially extending ports 26 to the periphery of the reel. Bar members H are heated to approximately the same temperature as bar members II. The thread is dried not only by contact with the exterior of the heated reel, but by the heated air issuing from ports 26.

The thread to be dried on the reel may be supplied from any source. For example, the thread may come from a package into which it was collected while wet. Such a package may be that formed on the usual collecting spool or in the ordinary centrifugal spinning pot. However, the wet thread may, if desired, come from apparatus which is continuously processing the thread, in which event the drying reel here shown may follow the liquid processing stages of the apparatus. After being dried, the thread may be collected by any suitable winding device or it may be twisted and then collected.

For the reasons and in the respects hereinafter explained, the reel of the invention is Iormedto allow substantially free Shrinkage oi the thread being dried thereon.

At the completion of the liquid processing steps, viscose artificial silk thread contains as much as 300% moisture by weight. Approximately half of this moisture is upon the exterior of the thread and must be removed before the remaining half of the moisture, which apparently is internal moisture, may be removed. The external moisture may be removed rapidly and during its removal the thread probobly will undergo less than one-half of one percent shrinkage. Removal of the internal moisture; however, requires a relatively long length of time. since this moisture must be removed largely by difl'usion.

In the course of the removal of the internal oisture, the thread, if allowed toshrink without restraint, may shrink shrinkage of the thread, it retains a slight residual capacity to shrink. In accordance with the invention, substantially unrestrained shrinkage of the thread is permitted during removal of nearly all of its internal moisture, but is arrested before complete shrinkage has occurred.

In the drying of thread upon a reel, moisture may be removed from diflerent portions 01 the thread at diflerent rates due to variations occurring from time to time in the temperature of the same portion of the reel. Also, the rates of removal of external and internal moisture may vary either together or independently of each other; i. e., the internal moisture and external moisture may be slowly removed, rapidly removed, or removed more rapidly in the case of one than in the case of the other. These difi'erent drying conditions require different formations of the thread-bearing surface of the reel if the thread is to be allowed to shrink without substantial restraint.

Figure 3 illustrates the diflferent formations which a bar member should have along its length if it is to conIorm to variations imposed by the drying operation.

Thread delivered to the reel may make contact with the bar member at a point A adjacent the supported end of the reel. In advancing toward the unsupported end of the reel, the thread will, if external moisture is removed at the lowest rate to be expected, reach the point B on the bar member by the time all external moisture has been removed. The portion A-B over which the thread passes may be parallel with the axis about which the bar member turns, since the shrinkage which the thread undergoes in passing over this portion is only very slight. In travel of the thread beyond point B, internal moisture being assumed to be removed from the thread at the lowest rate to-be expected, by the time the thread reaches the point C only the desired residual capacity to shrink remains in the thread. As shown, the portion'B-C is tapered to permit substantially unrestrained shrinkage of the thread to take place. 'From point C the thread is advanced without provision for shrinkage to a point D on the bar member from which point the thread is led o If, on the other hand, external moisture of the thread is removed at the most rapid rate to be expected, this may be fully accomplished by the time the thread has reached a corresponding point B, from which point the bar member should have a tapered configuration. If, starting at the point B, the internal moisture also desired residual capacity to shrink remains in the thread, the point C will have been reached somewhat sooner than point C in the example given in the preceding paragraph. The portion C-C must in such case be a continuation of the portion CD; i. e., having an approximately cylindrical surface.

change in the location of the tapered'portion BC, so that it assumes the dotted line position B'C'.

of the portion CD or C'D preferably bears such relation to the diameter of portion A.B or A-B that the desired residual capacity to shrink is left in the thread.

The portion of the bar member upon which external moisture is removed from the thread may be of relatively short extent inasmuch as the external moisture may be rapidly removed from The portion of the bar member upon which internal moisture is removed from the in the thread. 7

thread will necessarily be 'or relatively long extent since considerably more time isrequired for removal of this moisture. The terminal portion of the bar member upon which the thread is set with the desired residual capacity to shrink may likewise be of relatively long extent to assure complete dryness or equilibrium moisture conditions It, therefore, both the external moisture and the internal moisture are removed slowly, the'bar members of a reel which will correspond to this drying condition should have a contour corresponding to the solid line A-BC--D appearing in Figure 3. If the external and internal moisture are both rapidly removed, bar members deter mined by the line AB-C'-.D will be required. Variations in the relative rates of removal of external and internal moisture will call 'for a formation of the bar members falling between the limits or the solid line and the dotted line between points 3' and C. In accordance with the present invention means are provided to permit alterations to occur in the contour of the bar member .in response to variations in the rate of removal or both the external moisture and the internal moisture.

In the several embodiments of the invention iii? ill

tions to occur in the contour'cf the bar members are incorporated in only one of the two sets of bar members. It has been round that satisfactory results may be attained if these means are thus incoratfi in one set only. It is preferable in such case that the bar members it emmembers are supported by the rigid body it andalterations necemary to be made in the bar members do not result in undue weahnms oi bar members iii. If desired, however, the bar members of both sets may be equipped in the manner cone tcmplaterl. v

Referring to the embcdent oi the invention appearing in Figures 4 and 5, the bar member it therein shown has afiixed thereto a strip-like spring element till which may flex to result in a change in the shape or the thread-bearing surface oil the reel to correswricl to difierent drying conditions. Except as necessitated by recess t l, the exterior of bar member 053 carrying this spring element 363 conforms in shape to line AB-C' D of Figure 3. Recess 3t extends from point B to a point which is well beyond the tree end of the spring element m that tree flexing of the spring element beginning at point B I be permitted. e to the presence of the spring element bit, the efiective contour of the bar member it conforms to line A-B--OD of Figure 3.

Surface 83 or the bar member, which is gerrcrally parallel to the axis of the reel memben, provides portion i i-B of the thread-bearing sur-. face. Surface of thebar member is likewise generally parallel to the axis of the reel member and provides portion C'-D of the thread-bearing surface. The spring element 30 lies within a slot in the surface ill so that the upper surface of the spring element will be flush with surface ti. Screw retains the spring element in place. The free end of spring element ill enters a recess t l formed in the bar member. The spring element lit is so curved that its exterior surface crosses belowthe line CD at point C.

Sp element 36 should be of a relatively thin. material having an approidmate thickness of five thousandths or an inch, preferably of spring steel having the desired resilience. 'lo pet the spring element to enter recess 34 under the influence of pressure exerted by the shrinking thread, the spring element should be narrower than the width of the recess. A spring element of this character will provide ample support for the thread if lttends to pass over the path 28-0 but will not exert substantial pressure against the thread if it tends to pass over a path lying between the lines 3-0 and B'-C'.

In drying thread upon a reel of this construction, the resilience of the spring member II will allow it to assume any formation which may be imposed upon it by the shrinkage of the thread being dried. 11- marked shrinkage does not occur until the point B is reached, due to the fact that surface moisture has been slowly removed from the thread, the spring element 3! will in effect,

extend surface II to point B and will support the thread up to this point. However, if the exterior moisture has been rapidly removed so that marked shrinkage begins by the timeB' is reached, the spring element may flex at this point to accommodate the shrinkage of the thread, f

If, after a slow rate of removal of external moisture, the internal moisture is slowly removed, the spring element will remain in the position shown in Figure i so that the thread will be carried up to the point C on the surface 32' of the bar member-Z However, if after either a slow or rapid rate of removal of external moisture, the internal moisture is rapidly removed so that rapid shrinkage occurs, the spring element 30 may yield inwardly so that the thread comes in con- I tact with the surface 32 of the bar member lll body the means of the invention since these bar at some point between C and C. All shrinkage conditions betweenthe expected limits of rapid and slow drying uently will be accommodated by the reel and substantially unrestrained thread shrinkage will be permitted. In any event, the thread will ally pass over the fixed surface 32, so that the desired residual capacity to shrink will be set hi all portions oi the length of the thread. a

In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, a highly flexible strip element is approximately as wide as and extends along the entire length of the bar member. The end surface 8'! and the end surface lid of the bar member are so-propcrtioned with respect to each otherthat, with the strip element upon them, the outer surface of the portions of strip elementtt upon surfaces ill! and 228 will bear the proper relation to each other to impart a desired residual capacity to shrink to the thread. Between sur-.

races 31 and 88 the bar member is cut away to form recess 88. 4

Strip element 535 is secured upon surface 31 by screw 40. At its forward end ll, strip element 35 is reduced. in width and lies within a notch 42 formed in the projecting forward end 43 of the bar member. ment extends beneath this projecting end 43 of the bar member to limit outward movement of the strip element. it is preferable that the strip 36 be made of metal such as spring steel, but it is possible to employ rubber instead. In the event that rubber is used, the forward end 4! may be secured directly to the underside of the projecting portion 43 of the bar member by a screw similar to the screw lit and the rubber should be stretched fairly tightly between these two points of attachment. I Within the recess 39 and secured by screw 45 to the bar member at an elevated portion 44 are a plurality of leaf springs 50, t1 and 48. The tree The extremeend oi the strip deends of the leaf springs are curved upward into contact with the spring element 36 and yieldably support it against the thread. By securing the leaf springs to the elevated portion 44 their undersides are unsupported throughout the major portions of their lengths and they are free to flex downward. These leaf springs should be highly flexible so that they may yield without offering substantial resistanc to shrinkage of the thread.

Recess 39 extends from point B to point C, corresponding to points B andC in Figure 3, and free flexing of strip element .36 consequently begins at point B. Leaf spring" contacts with strip element 36 at point B, corresponding to point B in Figure 3, and consequently assists strip element 36 to carry the thread beyond point B if external moisture is slowly removed. Leaf spring 48, to support the strip element above surface 38 in the event that shrinkage occurs slowly, contacts with strip element 36 as close to point C as is possible. Leaf spring 41 contacts with the strip element approximately midway between points B and C.

When thread is being dried upon a reel having bar members constructed as shown in Figure 7, the thread may shrink rapidly or slowly as determined by the rate at which moisture is removed from the thread and the thread will be supported throughout its passage along the reel. If both the external and internal moisture are removed at the slowest expected rates, the strip element will not be pressed against surface 38 until point C is reached. In.the event of unusually slow drying, the strip element may not be brought against surface 38 until some point between C and D is reached. If drying is occurring rapidly, point C may be broughtagainst surface 38 or some point between C and C may first contact with surface 38. The presence of strip element 36 thus accommodates wide variations in the rate of drying.

In Figures 11 and 12, the portion along the length of the bar member over which marked thread shrinkage occurs is provided with a mass of resilient material 50 located in recess 5| of the bar member. The exterior of the bar member is shaped to have a thread receiving surface 52 terminating at point B, a terminal thread surface 53. beginning at point C, and an intermediate tapered surface between points B and C. Recess 5! extends between points B and C. Points B, C and C in Figure 11 correspond to points B, C and C in Figure 3. The mass of resilient material 50 should be compressible so that it may yield under pressure of the thread turns which it carries. Sponge rubber has been found to be suitable material for this purpose. The upper surface of this material should have a portion BB which is a straight line continuation of surface 52. From' point B to point C the upper surface of the material may have a uniform slope.

In passing over this bar member the thread being dried will compress the resilient material 50 to the extent necessary to accommodate shrinkage. If the thread is being dried ,slowly so that both its'external and internal moisture are-being removed slowly, no substantial compression of the material 50 will occur. However, if shrinkage begins by the time point B has been reached, the mass of material will yield inward to allow this to occur and if the internal moisture is rapidly removed; thread may pass from between the points determined by line BC and the material will be compressed to this extent. Variations in drying between these expected limits may be accommodated by yielding of material 5| without imposing substantial restraint on the shrinkage of the thread. i

In all embodiments of the invention, therefore, the thread-bearing surface of at least one set of bar members includes a portion provided with an element which is movable outward to positions deteignined by the lengths of the turns of the thread being dried. In carrying out the invention it will be found possible to make various modifications in the structures disclosed; for example, it may be found possible to apply an element disclosed in one embodiment of the invention to the construction disclosed in another embodiment. Thus it is possible to apply one of the leaf springs shown in Figure '7' to the construction of Figures 4 and 5, so that an outward force is applied to the strip element 30 at a point intermediate of its length. Numerous other changes may also be made without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whateveri'eatures of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing members of substantially circular cross section at least one of which is rotatably mounted which thread-advancing members cooperate to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns and, disposed on the periphery of said rotatably mounted thread-advancing member, a plurality of thread-supporting elements having thread-bearing surfaces which are movable substantially radially of said thread-advancing member in response to changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about said thread-advancing members.

2. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing members of substantially circular cross section at least one of which is rotatably mounted which threadadvancing members cooperate to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns and, disposed on the periphery and extending longitudinally of said rotatably mounted thread-advancing member, a plurality of thread-supporting elements having threadbearing surfaces which are movable substantially radially of said thread-advancing member in response to changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about said thread-advancing members.

3. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing members of substantially circular cross section at least one of which is rotatably mounted which threadadvancing members cooperate to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns and, resiliently supported on the periphery of said rotatably mounted threadadvancing member, a plurality of thread-supporting elements which are movable substantially radially of said thread-advancing member in response to changes in the length of the thread turns wound about said thread-advancing members.

4. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing mem bers of substantially circular cross section at least one of which is rotatably mounted which threadh ?ead-advancing members cooperate to advance advancing members cooperate to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of genof the periphery of said rotatably; mounted thread-advancing member, a plurality of threadsupporting elements having thread-bearing sure faces which at different points lengthwise of said thread-advancing member are movable by different amounts substantially radially of said thread-advancing member in response to changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about .said thread-advancing members.

5. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing members of substantially circular cross section'at least one of which is rotatably mounted which threadadvancing members cooperate to advancethe thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality' of generally helical turns and; movably mounted on the periphery of said rotatable. mounted thread-advancing member, a plurality of thread-supporting elements having thread-bearing surfaces which at different points lengthwise of said thread-advancing member are movable by different amounts substantially radially of said thread-advancing member in response to changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about said thread-advancing members.

6. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing members of substantially circular cross section at least one of which is rotatably mounted which thread-advancing members cooperate to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns, said rotatably mounted thread-advancing member having end portions of different diameters and a tapered intermediate portion connecting said end portions, and, disposed on the periphery of said rotatably mounted thread-advancing member, a plurality of movable thread-supporting elements capable of imparting different tapers to said intermediate portion in response to changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about said thread-advancing members.

7. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing members of substantially circular cross section at least one of which is rotatably mounted which the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns, said rotatably mounted thread-advancing member having end portions of different diameters, and between said end portions a tapered periphery embodying resilient means providing intermediate thread-bearing surfaces conformable to changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about said thread-advancing members.

9. A thread-storage, thread-advancing device comprising a plurality of thread-advancing mem- 'said recesses but which are movable into said recesses to provide yieldable thread-bearing surfaces conformable to'changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about said thread-advancing members.

10., A] thread-storage, thread-advancing reel comprising two rotatable, interdigitating sets of longitudinally extending bar members; means for causing the bar members of said setsto-cooperate during rotation thereof to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality ofgenerally helical turns: and resilient strip-like elements extending over a substantial portion of the lengths of the bar members of at least one of said sets for yieldably supporting the thread.

11. A thread-storage, thread-advancing reel comprising two rotatable interdigitating sets of longitudinally extending bar members; means for causing the bar members of said sets to cooperate during rotation thereof to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helilongitudinally extending bar members; means for causing the bar members of said sets to cooperate during rotation thereof to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns; and, associated with the bar members of said set, resilient strip-like elements mounted in recesses in said bar members adapted to move into and out of said recesses to conform to changes in the lengths of the thread turns wound about said sets.

. 13. A thread-storage, thread-advancing reel comprising two rotatable, interdigitating sets of longitudinally extending bar members; means for causing the bar members of said sets to cooperate during rotation thereof to advance the thread lengthwise thereof in a -plurality of generally helical turns; a strip-like element associated with each of the bar members of at least one of said sets and extending lengthwise thereof; and spring means exerting an outward force on said element between its ends for yieldably supporting said strip-like element. 1

14. A thread-storage, thread-advancing reel comprising two rotatable, interdigitating sets of longitudinally extending bar members; means for causing the bar members of said sets to cooperate during rotation thereof to advance thread lengthwise thereof in a plurality of generally helical turns, the bar members of at least one of said sets having recesses therein; and resilient means supported in said recesses and extending partly outside said recesses for yieldably supporting the thread wound about said sets of bar members.

LAVERN J. JORDAN. CLARENCE C. WALTERS. 

